Netflix's The Toys That Made Us explains how Star Wars changed toys forever

If you've run out of holiday classics to snuggle up with during holiday vacation, allow me to recommend The Toys That Made Us, a new documentary series on Netflix. Don't let the first episode's opening scene of a low-budget historical recreation put you off. This is a serious documentary about iconic American toy lines, including Star Wars, Barbie, He-Man and G.I. Joe, and it is absolutely worth your time.

The first four episodes are up on Netflix right now, with the promise of four more to come in 2018. Each nearly hour-long program is crammed full of on-camera interviews with the principal designers of these major toy lines. Their commentary lifts the veil on how characters like Snake Eyes and Skeletor became household names. The level of access that the research team was able to get is astounding. Subjects include former CEOs of major toy companies and even members of the legal teams that negotiated historic licensing agreements.

2nd January 2018